Copyright note: These are not store-bought
instructions, nor are they taken from any store-bought patterns.
No permission will be granted to sell these instructions,
but anyone may use and distribute for free as necessary.
I am giving the instructions free so that moms and dads can bond
with their babies. I developed these instructions by taking
my sling apart and using it as a pattern, but I modified the way
the pad is made and attached to use less fabric and make assembly
easier.
Liability note: I offer no guarantees
for these instructions. They worked for me in carrying my
baby, but I will not be held responsible for improper construction
or use of your sling. Please read the wearing
instructions and use common sense in carrying your
baby.
Questions? Feel free
to email me at
You
will need:
fabric
44 to 48" wide (pref. with finished edges) and about 2 1/2
yds long. Make it woven (not knit) and cotton or cotton-poly.
Choose a light-weight fabric. If you're a lousy seamstress
like I am, buy plaid fabric. It will help you keep your
seams straight.
matching thread
quilt batting 36" by 48", or scraps (6)
4" x 48" pieces (3) 6" x 8" pieces
two 3" rings - I used goldtone steel macrame
rings* in my slings, but nylon rings are better. You can buy
sling rings at slingrings.com
and Elizabeth
Lee Patterns.
*available at Wal-Mart
and at JoAnn's Fabrics. I've found a few steel rings that
popped open when pulled hard--make sure you get ones that are
welded well.
Instructions:
Wash and dry your fabric.
Lay your fabric out good side
down. Fold one end up 1/4" and stitch. Fold
stitched end in again to cover raw edge, stitch again.
This is your "tail".
If your fabric doesn't have
finished edges, fold edges in 1/4" and stitch. (don't
need to cover raw edge as it will be folded under in next step.)
Cut one piece of batting one
foot by four foot, and fold in thirds lengthwise (or stack three
4" x 4 ft pieces if you're working with scrap batting).
Place on long edge of fabric, two feet up from "tail".
Fold edge of fabric and batting
over, all the way up the length of the fabric, to make one "padded
rail". Pin in place (or if you're lazy like me, use
masking tape instead), making sure that fold is straight across
the whole way. You may need to squoosh the batting into
place. Sew up the length of the fabric, 1/4" in from the
edge.
Sew, starting from the INSIDE
of the sling and sewing out*, across padded rail 1/2" to
2" from each end, and again 12 to 14" from each end,
to keep batting from shifting. (*this will keep it from
bunching up funny, since there's no outside seam.)
Repeat steps 4 thru 6 on the
other long side of the fabric, for the other padded rail.
Cut three 6" x 8"
pieces of batting, or one piece (8 x 18" or 6 x 24")
folded up to 6" x 8".
Place batting lengthwise on
sling, 1/4" to 1/2" from the top (unfinished edge).
Fold outside edges of sling towards the middle so that the tops
of the outside edges are touching the batting. Fold outside
edges again - this time the outside edges should touch each other,
overlapping slightly and completely cover the batting.
Pin or tape in place. Sew over the overlap (straight down
the middle of the sling and the batting, sewing the two edges
together and covering the batting.) This is your shoulder
pad.
Fold top edge over 1/4"
to 1/2". Pin or tape in place. Fold top corners
down 1/2" to 1", pin or tape. Sew top edge, rounding
corners. You'll have an ugly "fringe" of four
layers of raw fabric hanging out, but that's OK. It'll
get sewn to the inside of the sling later.
Slide the shoulder pad through
both rings, pushing the rings down to where the padded rails
start.
Fold shoulder pad and whole
top end of sling down over rings so that the insides meet.
The shoulder pad should lay directly in the middle of the sling
side to side, in between the two padded rails. The top
of the shoulder pad should be about level (give or take an inch)
with the ends of the padded rails. The fabric underneath
the shoulder pad will want to bunch, you'll have to spread it
out to make sure it's straight and there's no wrinkles.
Pin or tape the shoulder pad in place.
Sew down the middle of the shoulder
pad again, following your original line, to attach the pad to
the back of the sling. Sew parallel lines 1 1/2" from
either side of this line, which will divide the pad into four
fat rows. Sew across the end of the rows, on top of or
right next to the end seam you made in step 10.
You're done!! Thread up the
tail end, grab a baby or small child, and try
it out!
OK, now clip the loose threads
and wash and dry the sling before you go out in public with it
or package it up to give away. :)
Care
of your sling:
Wash gentle cycle, low heat; air
or fluff dry, no bleach. If you used dark or bright fabric,
wash separately first few times as fabric may bleed. Excessive
heat may shrink your sling.
